Samsung's Optical Joystick

Samsung has developed a new method of navigation for mobiles. It calls this innovation the Optical Joystick. The SGH-i780 is the first cellphone to have it.

Unlike previous Windows Mobile smartphones, the SGH-i780 isn't featuring a traditional D-Pad but this - as Samsung calls it - "Optical Joystick" or "Finger Mouse" which is a kind of 4-way touchpad. In addition to use to it to navigate, it also acts as the action button to start applications. If used in the 4-way navigation mode, it emulates a standard D-Pad while, if used in the mouse mode, it shows a mouse pointer.

Having an interface that acts like a mouse will open new possibilities for mobile applications. It removes navigation restrictions that might have hindered developers before, allowing them to create new programs that take advantage of the technology. Provided it becomes mainstream, it's a great option for mobiles that don't use a stylus.

Source: The Unwired

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